Building-block



(No Model.)

- J. R. WERTH.

BUILDING BLOCK.

No. 379,429. Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

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- NITED STATES PATENT 'FrIcE.

JAMES R. WERIH, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

BUlLDlNG=BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379.429. dat d March 1888- Application filed May 23, 1887. Serial No. 239,107. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. WERTH, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Building Blocks or Bricks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce novel form of artificial building brick or block that shall have a rough fractured face surrounded by a smooth rectangular building margin; and the invention consists of such a construction made by first molding a multiple brick cake with incisions. grooves. or depressions of rectangular shape, dividing it into two or more sections, and then breaking the sections apart at the grooves. The grooves formed in the multiple brick secure a reasonably regular fracture, and also give a finish to the edges around the fractured surface,besides serving as an aid in the pointing of the walls, so that a proper alignment may be maintained. The multiple brick ca'tee may be broken up into its constituent building-bricks either before burning or after.

In making the niulliple brick cake or bar, any of the ordinary hrickmolds or plastic, semi plastic.dry-press,or semi-press machines may be used, itbeingsiinply necessary to provide the molds or the dies of the machines with blades,ribs, or projections of rectangular shape that will form the necessary grooves, and some or all of the grooves may be put in by hand.

In the accompanying (lrawings,Figure 1 represents a mold for forming the multiple brick cake, it being simply a wooden box, 1, ot'the required shape, provided wilh a rib, 2, of rectangular shape. to form the dividing-groove. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the multiple brick cake, showing the rectangular dividinggroove at 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, and Fig. 4 an end view,ofthe completed buildingbrick, the fractured bnildingface of the brick being shown at 4 and the marginal buildingedge at 5. Fig. 5 is a front view of a number of such bricks as they appear when assembled into a wall.

I have shown a multiple brick of but two sections; but it may be formed of any number of sections,and it may be broken so as to show more than one fractured or flesh side. I prefer, however, for the horizontal faces the smooth surface' The grooves may be wider in some cases than in others, so as to vary the appearance.

I have shown simply a wooden box, 1, as a mold; but the brick cake may be formed in a metal mold with plungers provided with ribs or blades.

I am aware that it is not new to form scoria blocks for paving purposes with a surroundiug \l-shapcd groove, the same to be divided at such groove by fracture, so as to present a rough surface for the wearing-surface; but such is not the equivalent of my invention.

I am also aware that rectangular grooves have been em ployedin the manufacture of tiles and other articles for indicating the place of fracture for separation. I do not, therefore, claim separatinggrooves of such shape, broadly. I am not aware that a building-brick has ever been produced in twin form having a groove indicating the place of fracture, the product being a new and useful improvement in ornamental buildingbricks.

I claim as new and of my invention- An artificial building block or brick consisting ofa cake in the form of a parallelo pipedon, having rectangular dividing-grooves 3 around the body thereof, the block or brick being adapted to be broken between the walls of the grooves to form blocks or bricks having fractured projecting portions or fronts and rectangular building lines or edges completely surrounding the fractured projecting portions or fronts.

JAMES R. WERTH.

W'itnesses:

F. V. L. TURNER, G. M. WILSON. 

